CVE-2026-113948 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a flaw in the access control mechanisms within macOS, specifically related to how applications interact with restricted areas of the operating system's file hierarchy. This issue stems from insufficient restrictions on permissions that govern write operations for certain application processes. In a properly secured environment, standard user-level applications should be confined by strict sandboxing policies and mandatory access controls that prevent them from altering critical system files or directories reserved for administrative use only. However, in this instance, the enforcement of these boundaries was inadequate, allowing an app to bypass expected limitations and modify protected parts of the file system without requiring elevated privileges such as administrator authentication.
From a technical perspective, this represents a classic privilege escalation vector where lower-privileged entities gain unauthorized write access to high-value targets. The flaw likely resides in how the operating system evaluates permission requests for specific paths or resources that are designated as immutable under normal circumstances. By exploiting this gap, an attacker could potentially alter configuration files, inject malicious code into legitimate processes, or disrupt core system functionalities by corrupting essential data structures stored within these protected directories. This type of vulnerability is often categorized under CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management or CWE-732 Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, as it reflects a failure to correctly assign and enforce the principle of least privilege during runtime operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability can be severe depending on which specific file system components are affected. If an attacker successfully modifies protected files, they could establish persistence mechanisms that survive reboots or application restarts. This might involve altering launch agents, modifying kernel extensions, or changing security policies that govern future access decisions. Furthermore, tampering with system integrity protection (SIP) related files could disable other layers of defense provided by macOS, thereby exposing the entire device to further exploitation. The ability to write to these areas effectively grants the attacker a level of control comparable to root access, enabling them to execute arbitrary code, exfiltrate sensitive data, or launch denial-of-service attacks against critical services.
To mitigate this risk, it is imperative that users ensure their macOS environment is updated to version Golden Gate 27.2 or later, where Apple has implemented additional restrictions to close the permission gap. These updates typically involve tightening the sandbox profiles for applications and reinforcing the checks performed by the kernel when handling file system write requests. Additionally, administrators should enforce strict application whitelisting policies through Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to prevent untrusted software from executing on managed devices. Regular auditing of installed applications and monitoring for unauthorized changes in protected directories using integrity checking tools can also help detect potential exploitation attempts early. Aligning with industry standards such as the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability relates to techniques involving persistence via system processes or file modification, highlighting the need for robust endpoint detection and response capabilities that monitor for anomalous write activities in sensitive paths.